I am Dystopian
by Tsvetok Mira
Summary: 'I am dystopian, some people think I'm good, some think I'm bad. I am no more and no less." Says Dystopia Tempest, but does she really mean it? This series explores the life of Dystopia Tempest a 'neutral' English mage with a knack for getting herself arrested.
1. Meeting Dystopia

**Hey everyone! So, this is a new series based around crime and a many new characters on the shelf. Again, this one is Skulduggery Pleasant based because, well, what else? So, let's get to it…**

She ran her bare feet cut and bleeding heavily from the harsh, firm ground of Roarhaven. Dystopia whipped around a corner, a blazing fireball _just_ missing her face, her short, matted black hung lazily at her ears as she breathed heavily. Carefully, she pressed her damp body against the moss covered and cold wall, the blisters on her hands broke and she grimaced as she felt new ones beginning to form across her palms. Dystopia slowly raised her hand to her face and snapped her fingers together and a large flame lit her hand ablaze, she took a deep breath in and stepped out, preparing to aim.

The skeleton detective held his classy, brown revolver in his gloved hands and the young girl next to him entwined her fists with shadows. Skulduggery raised his gun and Dystopia's eyes grew wide, he wouldn't shoot her. Would he? She raised her fist and began releasing her hand when a crackling and powerful energy burst into her back, she gasped for breath and a single curse left her mouth as she fell to the floor as the classy boots of Skulduggery Pleasant approached.

 _Valkyries POV_

Valkyrie spun shadows though the air and into the direction of the stunning girl that had tried to stab her five minutes ago as Skulduggery hurtled fireballs at the same target, the girl darted around the corner, missing Skulduggery's fireball by an inch at the most. She looked straight at Skulduggery, who whispered no helpful instructions and who told her nothing of the situation at hand. "Who is she?"  
"Who is who?" Skulduggery kept his eye sockets on the place the woman had disappeared at.  
"The girl! Who else is there for me to ask about?"  
"Me,"  
She stared at him hopelessly, he was concocting a brilliant idea and she knew it, "You are not a she,"  
"How could you possibly know that, I am a skeleton am I not?"  
"Yes, but-"  
"But I have nothing to decide my gender nor sex,"  
"Yes but, well… I just know you aren't a she,"  
"I would happily prove you wrong…" Skulduggery that one this time, she had not intended to hear that.  
"You make me feel sick, thanks for putting that image into my head,"  
"It is not my fault that you find a skeleton pelvis so ridiculously disgusting,"  
"That was not my point. Anyway, you sound like a he!"  
"Don't confine to gender roles, Val."  
"I will murder you,"  
"And she's back!"

There was a rustling sound above and Valkyrie grabbed the shadows as Skulduggery got out his revolver from his holster and outstretched his arms. The girl all in black stepped out, her beautiful eyes wide with wonder but her lips curling with a mischievous smile that held many secrets. Skulduggery took the safety mode of his revolver and aimed clearly at the woman's chest, he wouldn't shoot her, she technically hadn't committed a crime, or not one that Valkyrie knew of. The girl's eyes widened even further and the smile slowly faded as Skulduggery clutched the trigger eagerly. However, before he could shoot there was a green flash and the woman fell slowly to the ground, gasping for air but receiving none. Chrystal Fury stood behind the woman, her hand splayed in the direction the girl had been standing. Her eyes twinkled as she lowered her still glowing palm and walked simultaneously with Skulduggery over to the mysterious girl.

 _Dystopia's POV_

Dystopia awoke to find herself in an interrogation room with shackles binding her powers just beyond her reach. She felt tired and drowsy that meant a psychic had looked around her mind, well that was just peachy. The room was simple and distasteful, it was lit well, unlike all the other rooms in the sanctuary and had light yellow walls and a plain oak table and chair, along with another metal chair with shackles attached to the arms, which, luckily she was not in.

Dystopia roamed the room for a few moments and ran her fingers across the dirty walls and dusty tables. This one simple and disgusting room confused her, she had never seen a room like this. Dystopia Tempest was a woman who had been in many rooms, but never an interrogation room, she wasn't the interrogating type. Slowly, she found herself wandering back to the oak chair and lolling her head back, completely and utterly bored out of her wits. She ended up sifting through the previous scenario in her head, who had picked her up and taken her _here_? Who had knocked her out? And above all, which energy thrower turns someone paralysed and doesn't eat them? All were Sanctuary workers, definitely.

Shortly after Dystopia had come to an end of her day-dream a pretty, young lady with chocolate hair that curled its way down her neck and landed on her shoulders. She wore classy, large, black-rimmed glasses that framed her face, she stared at Dystopia with deep brown eyes and cocked her head to the side. "Dystopia Tempest?" Her voice had a gentle and pleasing tang to it, still very British though. An English mage then, interesting.  
"Woah! You're little psychic pets have found my name! God, you guys are _really_ ahead of me!"  
The English mage rolled her eyes and chuckled slightly, "Thanks, genius. But we just found the name on your ID card," Dystopia looked down and the card that hung from her neck was gone, she scowled.  
"I see," she mind-slapped herself for her own stupidity,  
"Dystopia Tempest," the woman continued, "I am Chrystal Fury, otherwise known as the energy thrower who knocked you out yesterday." Dystopia got up but Fury raised a hand, "Uh-uh-uh, you're powers may be bound but mine are not." She gave a dashing smile and Dystopia sat down again, sulking. "I'll be asking you some questions if that's alright," she giggled, "Who am I kidding? You don't have a choice."  
"Why am I here?" Her voice sounded strong and powerful,  
"I'll be asking the questions Miss, now sit down!" Dystopia realised she had stood up again and sat down sadly and sunk back into the metal chair she had been demoted to. "Thank you. Now, what were you doing underneath the sanctuary?"  
"I didn't know it was the sanctuary,"  
"Why were you here?"  
"I was visiting my sister,"  
"Who might that be?"  
"I'm afraid I can't answer that,"  
Fury did not looked pleased, but she got straight to the point, "Why did you try to kill Miss Valkyrie Cain?"  
"She came at me, it was merely a form of self-defence,"  
"And stabbing is a form of self-defence?"  
"We obviously have very different definitions of self-defence."

It seemed like the last word. Fury despised last words.  
"What do you want?"  
"I want the bloody battles to stop!"  
"What battles?"  
"Good, evil, bad, whatever. It's all one big commotion!"  
"If people like _you_ stopped being evil, people like _me_ would stop fighting?"  
"People like me? I'm just dystopian. In some eyes I am good and in some bad, no more, no less."  
Fury shook her head and changed the subject, "Do you know one Skulduggery Pleasant?"  
"Who doesn't?"  
"Once again, I'll be asking the questions," she began to continue but Dystopia wanted out.  
"And I'll be shackling you,"  
"Pardon?"  
Dystopia jumped from her seat before Chrystal could even flinch and raised her hands over Fury's head and used the shackles to choke Chrystal. Fury screamed.

Why did everyone always have to scream? Screaming was very over-rated. Skulduggery Pleasant, Valkyrie Cain and a familiar necromancy face Dystopia couldn't recognise raced into the room and gazed upon the two girls.  
"Oh, Dystopia." The one she couldn't recognised began,  
"What will we do?" Valkyrie finished.  
"Dystopia, release Chrystal, you won't win this fight,"  
"Oh really? Take one more step and I kill her!" Dystopia announced proudly, a smile playing across her lips.  
"With what, you're on-point powers or very sharp wit?"  
"No, with my very sharp knife," Dystopia reached into her pocket, bending Fury's body to the side and removing a sharp, shining knife.  
"Dystopia, put the knife down," Valkyrie said the words slowly but firmly,  
Skulduggery put forward his input next, "Tempest. Knife. Floor. Chrystal. Here. Now."  
"I think not," responded Dystopia, "You see, Chrystal is my way-"  
But she didn't finish, a shadow pierced both her arms and chest from behind. The unrecognisable girl caught Chrystal with a handful of shadows and the knife with another, but let Dystopia fall to the ground. She stood were Tempest had just been. 

"The thing is," Tsvetok Mira said, "she probably wasn't even that bad."

 **Woah! So there's the start of**


	2. The Sensitive Who Learned to Love

**Heya! So here's a new chapter of 'I am Dystopian'! I hope you guys like it…**

 **RedIvySparrow: Thank you for commenting and here's my update!**

 _General POV_

Tsvetok Mia stood calmly with Chrystal lent into her strong body and a pen knife in her hand. Dystopia lay on the ground unconscious, her chest and limbs had been skewered with shadows and rich, scarlet blood grew in a pool on the hard ground of the interrogation room.

Skulduggery and Valkyrie stood lifelessly watching the scene, Val's eyes widened and as she lent down next to Dystopia and rubbed some blood between her fingers gently. She looked up at Tsvetok, Valkyrie straightened up and smiled nervously at the shadow-covered girl. Cautiously, she outstretched her arm and wrapped it around Chrystal's frozen waist, pulling her away from the smirking necromancer. Chrystal shook herself free of Val's grasp and lent down by Dystopia, examining her frail body. "She needs a doctor," Chrystal didn't take her eyes off the girl, "Give her 5 minutes and she'll be dead." Tsvetok sighed lazily, Chrystal looked up in confusion.  
"Ok, ok. Don't give me the judgemental look, I just saved your life!"  
"Yes you did and I appreciate it. So, save her life and I'll appreciate that little bit more."  
"What does that little bit to for me?"  
"Nothing, but you'll have saved a life."  
"I'll have saved a murderer,"  
"She was desperate,"  
"You are far too soft." Chrystal stood up close to her and looked deep into her eyes.  
"Get her a doctor. Now." Chrystal spoke firmly and confidently, Tsvetok sighed like it was nothing, but it was something.

 _Tsvetok's POV_

She left the others to their doting. She liked Chrystal, she really did, but that was not to say that she wasn't spoilt by the others. She had experienced many more death threats than Chrystal ever had. Plus, she had just saved her life and probably everyone else's. Dystopia wouldn't have stopped with Chrystal, she knew how murderers worked and stopping at one kill wasn't the mind structure of a criminal.

Absentmindedly, she walked into the medical centre, Doctor Synecdoche was rubbing a translucent serum over a gaping wound in Ghastly's arm. The doctor lent down and planted a kiss on the full lips of Ghastly Bespoke who willingly kissed her back. Tsvetok coughed loudly, disgusted by the PDA. Dr Synecdoche straightened up and her cheeks grew pinker by the second. Ghastly stood up and rolled his sleeve back down and took Synecdoche by the waist, spun her towards him and gave her a peck on the cheek then whispered something into her ear. The doctor smiled, kissed him back then left the room and exited into another medical room.  
"Given up on Tan already? I've got to say I thought your obsession would last a little longer. I'm disappointed." She smirked and scoffed slightly,  
"Very funny. But Rebecca is kind and isn't possessed by an evil remnant."  
"Sorry, I forgot Ghastly, I'm really sorry."  
"It's fine, if I burst into tears every time someone referred to my turned-evil girlfriend then I would never get anything done." He smiled but she knew it was fake, "So what did you come for?"  
"Oh right, Dystopia's dying in the other room so I have to go get somebody,"  
"You seemed way too relaxed about this."  
"I don't like her."  
"Why not?"  
"She tried to kill all my friends and myself, why wouldn't I not like her?"  
"That is an overly fair point."  
"My thoughts exactly."  
"I'll get Rebecca."  
"Wait!" Ghastly stopped and turned on his heels, "Who the hell is Rebecca?"  
"Synecdoche."  
"Well that went fast, first name basis, huh?"  
Ghastly rolled his eyes and went into the room opposite them and came out a minute later with 'Rebecca's' fingers entwined in his own, a love struck look drawn across her face. Tsvetok rolled her eyes, this love stuff was getting on her nerves. Synecdoche pulled herself away from a wide-eyed Ghastly and gracefully followed after Tsvetok.

 _General POV_

Tsvetok walked gracefully into the room, shadows urging her on, Synecdoche followed silently behind, her mouth curled into a smile and her eyes happy. Chrystal sat on the floor, next to Dystopia, brushing the beautiful black hair of her perfect, clear face. The light from the ceiling accentuated the contoured features on Dystopia's face. Her cheekbones were deep and dark and her nose was thin and long. Her eyes were closed from when she had passed out a little earlier, her long eyelashes curled and her eyeliner stretched perfectly over her upper eye-line and to the edge of her temple. Her lips were parted slightly but she didn't drool and her lips were plump, pink and smooth. Val lent down and caressed her cheek and brought her fingertips down to Dystopia's kneck, checking her pulse was still going.

Tsvetok joined Skulduggery who lent against the canary yellow wall and brushed the imaginary lint of his spotless hat. "She's a murderer that just tried to kill Chrystal, why is everyone so keen to save her?"  
"We're bringing in a sensitive to read her mind, our sanctuary ones tried but couldn't break pass the barrier, but this one will."  
"Cassandra?"  
"Surprisingly, no. Melina Solemn."  
"Melina Solemn." Tsvetok tossed the words around in her mouth, "I'll remember that."

 _Chrystal's POV_

Whilst the two heartless detectives muttered to each other in the corner, Chrystal called Synecdoche over.  
"Get over here quickly. She'll die any second now! Her pulse is slowing." Synecdoche knelt down in the pool of blood and calmly opened her black, metal box. "Hurry up! She's dying! Synecdoche!" Chrystal screamed but Synecdoche wouldn't listen, Chrystal grabbed the doctor and shook her vigorously, "Dr Synecdoche!"  
"Chrystal, calm down," she shook herself free of Chrystal's grip, she didn't understand why Synecdoche was acting like this; usually she never gave up the opportunity to save a life. Dr Synecdoche opened the box fully and took three beakers and poured them all into one syringe then shook it. Slowly, she injected the serum directly into each of the wounds. Chrystal sighed as Dr Synecdoche placed the syringe back into the box and slid the lid shut carefully. Dystopia's eyes fluttered open then closed again. Chrystal swivelled around to her and herself and Valkyrie scoped her up into their arms as each wound closed up and healed, her eyes opened quickly and she blinked.  
"Bloody hell." Dystopia said gulping in mouthfuls of air at a time.  
"Yes well, after you tried to kill me, Tsvetok went a little overboard." Tsvetok stepped out winked at Dystopia then tongue-clicked and did her classic smirk.  
"You let loose, huh?"  
"It's not hard when you're hurting someone who just tried to kill your friend."  
"I'm your friend?" Chrystal questioned.  
"You ruined," Tsvetok replied bluntly and Chrystal said no more. "Anyways, get your act together, you have a visitor coming soon."  
"A visitor?" Dystopia raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow.  
"A sensitive, Melina Solemn."  
Dystopia chuckled, "I have a barrier hunny, that's not going to work."  
"We have the death-bringer of sensitives 'hunny'," Tsvetok mimicked Dystopia's tangy accent, "It'll work."  
Dystopia sighed and allowed Chrystal and Valkyrie to pull her up, but they didn't put her back in the chair, instead they took her out the room and marched her down the sanctuary corridor. "Where are you taking me?" Dystopia kicked at the air uselessly, "I demand to know!"  
"Calm down princess," Valkyrie laughed, "We're just taking you into a magic-binding room." Dystopia moaned as she was pulled into the room that would lock her powers away in a safe just out her reach.

 _Dystopia's POV:_

Valkyrie and Chrystal pushed her into the cell, which they referred to as a 'magic-binding' room. She moaned and let her face crawl into a grumpy yet still perfectly beautiful shape. After a few moments of looking around the boring room, Dystopia got up from the chair, her hands weren't shackled so she could move about the room freely, except without any magic. She wondered if this was what it felt like to be a mortal, empty and so utterly _boring_.

The cell wasn't very interesting, it had hard, solid metal walls and a strong and firm door that was impossible to break through. There was one way out, the key hole. Unfortunately, for her, she had no key. Hours, days, weeks went by and she waited in the hell-hole of a room on the one metal, uncomfortable chair, sulking. She looked across the room, there was a clock. _It had only been 5 minutes!_ She groaned loudly and sunk back into her chair. Suddenly, a tall figure stepped into the corridor leading to her cell.

The tall figure stepped into the light. A woman, her face was beautiful. She had perfectly plump lips and, like herself, deep cheekbones. As the woman got closer Dystopia realised that she was incredibly pale and her hair was platinum blond and curly, it hung from her shoulders, around the same length of her own. As she walked elegantly into the room, Dystopia stood up proudly and flaunted all her features. The woman turned to her and her eyes widened and she licked her lips, content with the woman in front of her.  
"Please, sit," the tall woman motioned to the chair and smiled, "My name is Melina Solemn, I'm a Sensitive, English mage, powerful sorcerer, I know exactly who you are," She kept going but all Dystopia could focus on was her perfect smile and soft voice. Then suddenly, Melina added, "And gay." Dystopia's face lit up happily and she smiled to Melina and batted her eyelashes.  
"Are we going to do this whole mind reading thing?"  
"Yes, we are. Relax your body, please." Dystopia never did what she was told, but she did this time, she did for this one woman. "Perfect, thank you." Melina placed her hands gently on Dystopia's forehead and knelt down so she was at the height Dystopia was sitting at. Melina furrowed her brow and Dystopia studied her face calmly, letting Solemn break through the barrier in her mind and into her inner-most thoughts, including how beautiful she thought Melina was. Solemn's deep cheeks tainted red and her lips curled into an even more noticeable smile, Dystopia smiled too.

Melina opened her eyes and cupped Dystopia's face in her thin hands, Dystopia raised her hands and hung them around Melina's neck, she moved closer to her. They both tilted their heads and lent in slowly. Impatiently, Dystopia bounded forward and crushed her lips into Melina's and kissed her passionately, Solemn kissed her back. Dystopia pushed a little and Melina walked back against the wall, Dystopia held Melina's neck in her palm and smiled as she kissed her, their perfect lips folding together lovingly. Melina was the first to pull away, the kiss wasn't long enough for Dystopia, none of it was long enough, she loved this woman and she had only just met her. She leaned in but Melina stopped her, instead she whispered, "I love you, Dystopia Tempest."  
"Oh, Melina Solemn. I love you too."

 _Melina's POV_

She had been told that Dystopia was dangerous but the beautiful girl that she was preparing to read the mind of didn't seem dangerous, she was stunning for a start and absolutely breath-taking. "Relax your body, please." Dystopia didn't need to relax at all, but for some reason she wanted to see how relaxed this villain could be. She closed her eyes and furrowed her bow, braking into the barrier and destroying the force field around Dystopia's thoughts. She found no murderous thoughts, memories of shame, yes. But no upcoming plans, nothing to do with The Faceless Ones and nothing to do with murder. Only thoughts about Melina, about _her!_ 'She's beautiful, her smile is compelling, I love her.' These thoughts bounded through Dystopia's mind and she inspected every one of them, they were all genuine. She could feel herself blushing and she opened her eyes and held Tempest's head in her hands, then slowly leaned forward to kiss her. She hadn't felt this feeling in centuries.

Suddenly, Dystopia lurched forward and crashed her lips into Melina's own. Willingly, she kissed back, passionately but with care, Dystopia lent in and she stepped back into the wall, letting Dystopia take control over her. She felt the smile on Dystopia's lips. Slowly, she pulled away, Dystopia lent in again but she stopped her. "I love you, Dystopia Tempest." She knew it was a bad idea the moment the words left her mouth. However, to her surprise, Dystopia responded lovingly.  
"Oh Melina Solemn. I love you too."

 **Woah! I hope you all enjoyed that! Melina and Dystopia! Who saw that coming? I ship it so hard, anyone else ship #Delina? Tell me your views in the comments, I'd love to know. However, if your views are sexist, racist, transphobic, homophobic or biphobic then don't comment them, discrimination and oppression is not accepted here! Thanks xx**

 **~ The Feminist No.1, The Bicycle Human, LGBTQ(IAPD)+ rights activist and Peace-spreader**


	3. The Dystopian Family

**Heya! I'm back and ready to give you all some steamy Delina moments and maybe, if you're all lucky, even throw in some Chinduggery and Sexter! (Saracen and Dexter, don't judge me, I love them). So, without further a due, oh wait there is further a due… sorry**

 **Dystopia Tempest: How dare you! Right, now I'm going hard core on you!**

 **Thank you for waiting patiently. Now, let us begin!**

 **Dystopia's POV:**

Dystopia didn't love. She just _didn't_. Love was a fragile thing not to be toyed with and not to be used against someone else. Unlike her sister, she didn't use her phenomenal charm and outstanding wit to lure people in, she let them love her and find her beautiful, but she didn't use it against them… well, most the time.

Yet, somehow as she leant against Melina, her body pressed against her lover's, she broke the barrier in her heart. She studied Solemn's face, it was gorgeous, she had the most beautiful eyes; they were currently shut, but all the same, beautiful. Melina's eyes opened and she stared into Dystopia's, her irises growing wider by the minute, Dystopia stayed very still. Melina looked down then up again, a flirtatious look shining in her eye, she moved her hand from Dystopia's shoulder to her waist and pulled her in a little closer, taking complete control. This had never happened before. There was a warm feeling that sparked throughout her body as Melina ran her hand along her back. Then, once again, they shared a passionate kiss.

 **Skulduggery's POV**

He walked towards the corridor that led to Tempest's cell and began to hum a gentle tune as he opened the heavy, metal door into the long chain of cells and stepped in, softly closing the door behind him, careful not to stop Melina from reading the mind of the current villain he was dealing with. He spun the cell key around his finger and strolled confidently towards Dystopia's cell. He stopped outside and his jaw hung open as he dropped the keys to the floor and processed what he was witnessing.

Melina was pushed back against the wall, Dystopia leaning against her, they kissed passionately. Melina held Tempest back and waist and Dystopia had her beautiful hands hung from Solemn's shoulders. Skulduggery made a faint coughing sound, it was hard to cough when one had no throat, so his attempts at coughing generally came out as a quiet murmur. Albeit, Dystopia reluctantly pulled herself away from a smiling Melina and turned to face Skulduggery, looking rather flustered. "What. The. Hell." He stated.  
Calmly, Dystopia walked forward, one foot crossing perfectly over the other, her body swaying from side to side, she stopped in front of the barred door and looked at him with those beautiful, piercing eyes. "Are you alright Skulduggery? You seem slightly 'off-it' today," she mocked in a worried way, a hint of laughter in her voice.  
"I'm slightly taken aback to be honest,"  
"The great skeleton detective, 'slightly taken aback', by me!" Laughed Dystopia perfectly, "That must have really damaged your ego, Skul."  
"Very funny,"  
"Hear that, Melina?"  
Melina walked forward and stopped next to Dystopia, "Yes, we've amused the skeleton, how decent of us." She smiled then turned her focus to Dystopia who she kissed on the cheek. How very typical of her, Melian was known for her sarcasm… Melina!  
"Melian," he said clearly, shaking of the confusion,  
"Correct," she responded.  
"Find anything?"  
"She's not evil Mr. Pleasant, she is completely innocent."  
"Enlighten me,"  
"She wanted to get out, visit her sister and be done with it, not get into trouble,"  
"She should have thought about that before trying to take off my partner's head," he glanced at Dystopia who, to his surprise, looked slightly guilty,  
"She was afraid that she'd be mistaken for her sister, who's not exactly well-liked, or who wasn't a short time ago,"  
"Who is this sister?"  
"I'm afraid I can't say."  
"Because you don't know?"  
"Because I don't want to?"  
Skulduggery chuckled, "Melina." He spoke calmly and with a firm voice, "Tell me. Now." She remained very quiet. Damn! He really needed that name, a bloody _name_ , that's all he needed.  
Melina sighed, Dystopia shook her head vigorously as Melina opened her mouth, "Melina!" However, it was Tempest that filled the silence, unsurprising. "Please, I need to visit then go, no trouble, oh please no!" Her eyes filled with tears and he cocked his head. Dystopia stood on her tiptoes to reach Melina's lips, then kissed them, she reached her hand up and a small ring was revealed on her finger.

He looked at the ring, there was a crest on it; he had seen it before, but where? Slowly, he knelt down and picked up the key, then pushed it through the lock and twisted and the door swung open, completely oblivious, the two girls continued to kiss. Without fear he pulled Tempest's right hand away from Melina's face and examined the ring, the two girls broke apart.  
"What the hell are you-"Dystopia started, she then looked at what he was examining. He couldn't possibly know who the crest belonged to. Could he? No, she decided on no.  
"I'll take you to your sister, Miss. Tempest. She'll be delighted to see you." Dystopia's eyes grew wide and her blue eyes pierced Skulduggery's soul, just like China Sorrow's did once, long ago. "I'll take you to your brother two." At this, Tempest face lit up. He felt bad, she had lost her brother. But, at least she'd get to visit his grave whilst in Ireland.

 **Dystopia's POV**

She let her hands be placed into shackled and gave Melina one last wistful look and let herself be dragged away by Skulduggery Pleasant. He led her through long corridors full of mages, this was definitely the sanctuary, but China wasn't in the sanctuary, she was in the library in Dublin, a couple miles south from here, easy to travel to underground, as she had been before being rudely interrupted.

"China's office is right here," Skulduggery whispered into her ear, God she hated that man, or thing or whatever.  
"You must be kidding me,"  
"No kidding involved, see for yourself." So, she did. He knocked and a silky voice gave a muffled 'come in, if you must'.

To her surprise, China sat at a long and crimson-red desk, piles of sanctuary official files scattered around her, she looked up. Her sister had the exact same eyes as she did, only China's were more malicious, her's were more innocent, she thought.  
"Well, if it isn't my sister!" China stood and let the newly designed by her eminence robe drag behind her because of its fantastic length. "Dystopia, always in shackles or getting out of them," she hugged her sister and undid the shackles with a key that was hidden inside the robe.  
"You're an elder?" She laughed, this was brilliant, "Out of all the people they could've chosen for a leader, they chose _you_!"  
"Yes," China's voice was sombre, "Hilarious. But actually, you'll find this one hilarious, I'm Grand Mage!" She stopped laughing and looked into the eyes of her beautiful sister.  
"Well done," she spoke good-naturedly as she pulled China in for another hug.  
"Your family are so strange," Skulduggery shook his head disapprovingly.

 **Dexter's POV**

"Val!" He called out, "Tsvetok! Chrystal!" It was getting really hard to find that lot, they were probably in the filing room looking through names of people and the names of the people they're related to and the names of their dog's, cat's, fish's, uncle's husband's daughter. Maybe he was getting a bit carried away. He went into the kitchens wearily and stopped at the coffee machine, he needed cavities. Nope, that wasn't the one. Calories? Chlorine? Catastrophic disasters? _Nope, that one was definitely sorted out._ Christmas? Crackers? Coughing? Caffeine? Caffeine! He needed caffeine.

As he mentally slapped himself for being such an idiot, Saracen walked in and stood next to him, flashing him and irresistible smile. _Dammit Saracen, Dammit!_  
"Hard time figuring out what caffeine was?"  
"I hate you."  
"No, not really."  
"I really do hate you."  
"Not really."  
"Eh."  
"Eh?"  
"Eh." He confirmed.  
"You're evil."  
"You're gorgeous." _Hell._ That wasn't meant to come out, it was just stirring through his mind dammit and then it just popped out like a bloody… something that pop! Which he couldn't think of since he was in utter embarrassment shutdown mode. He felt a hand on his and looked up to a charming, blushing Saracen.  
"Thanks," he breathed, leaning closer. Dexter heart was pounding against his ribs as he stumbled slightly and rested his hand on Saracen's chest accidentally, Saracen obviously didn't care. He did the same but leaned in further, their lips inches apart, then Saracen Rue, charmer, comedian… kinda, and beautiful human, kissed him. He kissed back and used his other hand to brush some dark hair of the beautiful man's cheek. The kiss was like a tornado, feelings and emotions flew around them and he was completely lost in everything, he was happy. Happy. Good word that is. Happy. He wondered if Saracen was happy, he probably was. Not to toot his own horn, but he was known for legendary lips… well, he wasn't by many but was by himself.

Saracen pulled away gently and looked to the side, Dex's coffee was ready and still smelt fresh, he picked it up, it was steaming hot. Like a gentleman he handed it to him and gave him a kind wink then turned. To his own surprise, Dexter stepped in front of him after putting the coffee down and kissed him on the cheek, then returned to the countertop and his burning cup of freshly brewed coffee and left Saracen to walk off, completely mystified and blushing.

 **Skulduggery's POV**

Dystopia and China had been catching up and exchanging gossip for over an hour as he stood in the corner by the bookcase, examining a few as he stared mindlessly at the shelves. ' _The Faceless Ones and How to Hate Them'_ , _'Advanced Adept magic'_ , _'Many a discipline'_ , _'Sigil magic and how it works'_ and then a whole series of stories about the dead men, each written by three different authors per book, there was one on Hopeless, Dexter, Saracen, Erskine, Anton, Ghastly and even him. He took the book off the shelf and read the authors names: Gordon Edgely, a tear was brought into his mind as it couldn't be brought to his eye, Serene Marine, unfortunate name, and China Sorrows! What? He looked over at her and Dystopia, their backs to him at the other side of the room, looking at ancient artefacts. As his imaginary eyes wandered back to the bookshelf he saw a book with the same cover colour as the dead men series encrusted onto it.

Sneakily he walked over and picked up the book, it was titled: _'The Dead Men: Valkyrie Cain' by China Sorrows, Magnolia Peaceful and Tebya Krassivy_. Well, that was a shock to the system. He flicked through the thin pages and scanned a few pages, ultimately a good sum up of Val's achievements in being awesome. He placed the book down precisely how it had been and resumed his place and the bookshelf, "Dystopia," she spun around after hearing her name, "Why don't you wait outside?" She nodded obediently and to his surprise picked up the shackles and put them on, then stepped out into the crowded corridor. "Anything you want Skulduggery?" China's eyes were startling and he looked deep into them, ' _you!'_ His head screamed, _'I love you!'_ But he refrained himself from such an act and kept his composure,  
"Nothing much," he answered, _idiot.  
_ "So, why are you still here?"  
"You have a book about me, you wrote it."  
She looked up the studied his skull, as if looking for clues, which she would evidently not find, "Ah," she said like she had just remembered something, "yes, yes, correct."  
"Why?"  
"You deserve to be recognised,"  
"Very true,"  
"You're neck deep in narcissism, y'know that, right?"  
He laughed, "I do,"  
"Thank God," they laughed and shared the same love-struck and wistful look. With a sudden moment of courage he rushed towards her and grabbed her hands. She looked surprised but didn't object, she let his hands drift over her own. She leaned closer and he did the same, their breaths synchronizing. Her hands slipped from his own and tapped the sigils on his collar bone to activate the façade, then kissed him. It was short but loving and they both smiled after. He reached up to his neck and deactivated the false face, it slipped off him softly and he turned, and said goodbye, a smile in his smooth voice.

Dystopia was waiting outside in her shackles, smiling kindly. He had promised to take her to Bliss, so that he did. Skulduggery directed them out the sanctuary and into the polished Bentley. The entire ride to Dublin, where Mr. Bliss was lovingly buried Tempest went on about her bond with her brother and how she couldn't wait to see him, Skulduggery concentrated on the road ahead.  
"I've missed him so much!"  
"Hmmm-hmm."  
"I can't wait to finally see him again!"  
"Sure, sure…"  
"We had such a close bond!"  
"Yep."  
"The best brother I could've wished for!"  
"I agree."  
"How sweet he was!"  
"Uh-huh…"  
"I love him!"  
"You can say that again!" The Bentley pulled up outside a graveyard, it was a sunny day and the newly-polished or installed graves glistened, Dystopia frowned. Obviously, she was sad, she probably had bad memories here. He walked into the graveyard and she followed, hot at his heels, looking rather confused, they weaved their way through graves of all different contexts. Dystopia looked completely baffled the entire way there.

He stopped abruptly beside a large, gleaming grave with a beautiful statue of a strong, muscular man with a kind smile and angel wings bursting from his back. Below on a headstone, the engraved words read: _Mr. Bliss. Brother, Son, Friend and Hero to the World. He will be deeply missed by all who new him._ Tempest fell to her knees next to the grave, she shook her head in disbelief, speechless. She traced her finger over the words on the stone then shot up and held the stone Bliss in her arms and hugged tightly.  
"He's dead…" She sobbed,  
"You didn't know?"  
"No I did not!" She was snappy, and had every right to be.  
"I'm… I'm sorry," he steeped forwards and placed a gloved hand on her shoulder as she wept into the statue of her brother, she looked up.  
"China never told me…" she looked back at Bliss in realisation. "I love you, Bliss." She whispered and kissed the statue's cold, marble cheek.

 **What!? So yeah, China and Dystopia are sister and Tempest is pretty damn mad at China right now. A short bit of Chinduggery, some much needed Dexter and Saracen and a little bit of ending Delina, it shall return once again, the ship from the heavens!  
~ The Feminist No.1, The Bicycle Human, LGBTQ(IAPD)+ rights activist and a unicorn**


End file.
